It has been unusually hot at the beach this year, I mean in the 90s kind of hot. That did not stop me from being on the beach Thursday but on Friday I needed something a bit different. I’m headed to The Loft in West Harwich for a Reflexology Session and Pedicure with Mia Hill. This comes highly recommended by Trudi and the three other women I dined with the other night. Mia is to die for they say. Ok, off I go.
I don’t normally get a pedicure before I come to the Cape because I am extremely hard on my feet. The Girls and I walk about three miles each day, then once on the beach the sand and pedicures DO NOT get along. If there is a day of iffy weather toward the end of my stay I will splurge and go to the spa otherwise I’ll see the ladies at 17 Nails when I get home. Did I mention it’s been extremely hot this year on the Cape? Giving my skin a break is the equivalent of iffy weather in this case.
The Loft is a tiny little house on Route 28 next door to Leddie’s Paint that you can blow right by if you don’t know it’s there. Mia should do something about that… The air is filled with the aroma of spa lavender and lemon grass and the meditation music is playing softly. So far so good. The foot bath is steamy and relaxing, the scrub invigorating and the move into the massage table/overstuffed chair is just a sinking in and sinking away from the world.
The Reflexology Association of Canada defines reflexology as:
“A natural healing art based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet, hands and ears and their referral areas within zone related areas, which correspond to every part, gland and organ of the body. Through application of pressure on these reflexes without the use of tools, crèmes or lotions, the feet being the primary area of application, reflexology relieves tension, improves circulation and helps promote the natural function of the related areas of the body.”
I found reflexology very interesting. It seemed a series of strokes, taps, pressure application and pauses that was not really systematic but was indeed effective. I never really knew what method was coming next but the outcome was wonderful. The session took a full hour and then Mia completed my pedicure with a foot and leg massage and some snappy pink polish. All total I spent two very relaxing hours at The Loft.
As relaxed as I was when I left I also found I had enough renewed energy to get my shopping done at the Chatham Jam and Jelly and Chatham Pottery. Carol at Chatham J and J is always happy to see me and my list arrive at the shop. I have a frequent buyer account there and she is always generous with her discount. She knows if I don’t go home with certain of her stock I’ll be in BIG trouble.
Over the years I’ve collected quite a few of Chatham Pottery’s hydrangea pieces. I’ve learned to pace myself as they are a bit expensive and I don’t have the room for collections that can’t be put to good use every day. I’ve learned that “saving” pieces for company is a waste of time so my china and crystal are my everyday dishes and glasses and that gives me huge satisfaction. As I look around the showroom I see that I’ve got a hell of a good collection and don’t really need anything. Damn. And then they show me the oops shelf. I know all about their seconds but the oops? Apparently when they try something new and she doesn’t like the design as much as she thought she would it goes onto the oops shelf. There’s nothing wrong with it, it just doesn’t work for the store. BUT IT WORKS FOR ME…. The most recent experiment was the hydrangea pattern with an antique wash. There was a wall mounted planter and a mug. SOLD! The mug will be spot-on for tea (pun intended) and hide the tea stain perfectly and the planter works beautifully against my building on the front porch. Just saying, one person’s oops is my SCORE.
The end of a perfect day. Tomorrow it’s back to the beach and then home on Sunday after cleaning up the best I can so Trudi doesn’t use my name in vain. I know she doesn’t and even if I scrubbed from top to bottom she would do it again anyway, God love her she has more energy than anyone I know.
I love my home on Stowe Lane and if I could move it to the Cape, with its quirky (but year round) neighbors and family I would, but that doesn’t seem possible. At the end of this Cape trip I’ve come to the conclusion that the effort of making a new life for myself in yet another state might not be for me. I do know like I know that the two weeks I spend there each year do more for my body (not counting the header I took on Tuesday) and soul, my writing, my outlook than anything else in my life. Then the fact that it cements my friendship with the Cronin’s ever more is the icing on the cake of my vacation.
See you in September, San, Lina and Toto too